


Ruled by Secrecy

by Taimat



Series: Collegestuck [7]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-19
Updated: 2011-10-19
Packaged: 2017-10-24 19:02:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/266799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taimat/pseuds/Taimat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The “momentous occasion” date, and a little bit more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ruled by Secrecy

Their momentous occasion dinner ends up being crappy, order-in Chinese food. Dave had insisted that it was either that or a really fancy night out, and Tavros isn’t sure he’s quite ready for that.

Dave is actually really good with chopsticks, which Tavros finds more than a little funny, though he’s sure it’s intentional. The human grabs a bite of sweet and sour chicken, licking sauce off his lips as he waits for Tavros to come back to life. Again.

They had been playing some really old game of Dave’s that involved zombies and punching the heads off them, but Tavros was horrible at it. So now they’re in the middle of Lego Star Wars.

Although, calling it “the middle” is probably too generous. They’re having difficulty advancing much of anywhere because Dave has to keep waiting for Tavros’ character to be returned to the map when he walks off an unseen ledge. The same ledge. Three times.

“The characters should all be radioactive, like Bec’s steaks. They’d be a lot easier to see, all glowy and shit. These’re the kinds of things game makers just don’t take into account. No ingenuity.”  
Tavros can’t really tell if Dave is making fun of him or not, so he just slouches as he waits for the most recent respawn. “We could, play something else.”

Dave sighs and lounges sideways across the couch, sliding his socked feet into Tavros’ lap and chewing on a cheap wooden chopstick. Its end is a bit larger than it should be, since those things never split correctly, anyway. Dave doesn’t seem to care, though, and he turns his head from the screen to eye the troll.

After a few moments, Tavros pauses the game and stares back. “What are you, uh, thinking?”

“Why’d you agree to all this, Tavbro?”

Tavros thinks on it, the simplicity of the question alerting him to how much Dave really wants to know the answer to it. “You asked me, and I, don’t mind, doing you a favor. Plus, it’ll keep everyone from, uh, wondering when I’m going to, fill my quadrants.”

“So you’re still doin’ the quadrant thing? All of you?”

“Why wouldn’t we?”

The blond shrugs nonchalantly, and Tavros wishes he looked that cool when he didn’t know something. “Guess it’s ‘cause you’re on a new planet, now. Less’a you guys around. Thought it might be out with the old, in with the new, cultural assimilation kinda deal. And with only twelve of you, and four quadrants, wouldn’t that mean you’d all have to be up in each other’s business? Sounds messy.”

“I guess I, hadn’t thought about it, very much.” This is true, actually. Though, to be fair, Tavros only ever really had hope for two out of four quadrants. Which he tells Dave. “I just can’t get, uh, hateful enough. I’m really bad at it.”

Dave kicks lightly at one of Tavros’ thighs with a heel. “I’d say that’s a pretty good thing to be bad at.” Only a human would think so. And maybe Karkat, but he’s a mutant, so maybe that’s why. “Honestly, Tav, you might fit in the best outta anyone ‘cause of it.”

Tavros smiles a little, grateful for a compliment that isn’t so mired in turn of phrase that he can’t figure out what it means. Feeling more relaxed and less awkward, he drops his controller to the ground and shifts, pulling one leg onto the couch to press under Dave’s calves and shifting the boy’s feet to his abdomen.

“So, uh…how’d it happen?” He still can’t see Dave’s eyes, but he’s pretty sure the human is watching him.

“Why d’you wanna know?”

“I think it’s pretty fair to, uh, tell your boyfriend about your past, relationships.”

“We’re fake boyfriends.”

Tavros stares back and, having just realized that he’d been rubbing at the human’s ankle, ceases immediately. Dave nudges him with one foot, and it could be out of annoyance at Tavros’ prying, but the troll thinks it might be because Dave liked what he was doing. So he tightens his fingers around the bone, and waits.

Dave sighs and drops his head back onto the armrest. “You drive a hard bargain, my good man. Why, you might even make a decent troll, by the time I’m done with you. Planning to use it against me in the future? Gonna hold it over my head when I don’t put out? Won’t take no for an answer?”

Tavros still says nothing, hoping that, if he doesn’t add to the conversation, Dave will eventually get around to answering his question. And as soon as the coolkid starts talking, Tavros continues to rub at his ankle in compensation.

“Always wanted it, was always too young, Bro said no. Made me wait. For years. Finally turned legal, asked him if I was old enough to make my own decisions, he said yes. All there is to it.”

Stroking one knuckle up the arch of Dave’s foot, Tavros considers this. “Is that not, uh, weird? For humans?”

Dave’s laugh is sharp. “Fuck yeah, it’s weird. It’s not even allowed. Why d’you think I need a cover?”

“Why is it not allowed?”

“Damn, I forgot about you guys and your bucket slurry or whatever it’s called. You don’t get this at all.”

“So tell me.”

“Look, when two closely related humans reproduce, the bad genes pop up, so their kids tend to be messed up.”

“But you and he, uh, wouldn’t reproduce, right?”

Dave snorts.

“So why is it, wrong?”

“‘Cause society says so.”

“But, why?”

“In the beginning, when shit started goin’ down, someone somewhere said it wasn’t cool for siblings to be sleepin’ together. And people didn’t use t’care, ‘cause the royals were all in each other’s beds and stuff, but then someone finally put their foot down and was like, no, shit’s whack. None of that, now. Back it up. So now it’s not cool anymore. Even if you both want it so much you can taste it. Even if you’re trying to be responsible and wait until you’re both legal and consenting adults, and then who should give a rat’s ass, anyway? You’re not hurting anyone. It’s always been you and him, against the world, and why can’t it stay that way? If no one understands you better than each other, then why can’t you be together? What’s so bad about that?”

They’re both silent for a while, Tavros blinking at Dave and Dave staring at the ceiling, but in an unprecedented event, Tavros is the first to find words.

“But you, made this world. And if there’s a place, for us, then isn’t there one for you?”

Dave doesn’t answer, and Tavros can’t detect any change of emotion on his face. But he does keep rubbing at Dave’s feet, his ankles, his legs, and Dave doesn’t ask him to stop.


End file.
